Hog hunt on March 17

[Calif. Hunter]

If you don't get a pig, it's nothing. Guide is available, don't know that I need him except to show my any boundaries. No meals or lodging....we're camping. We do get to shoot any varmints and he gives a $50 hog credit for each coyote shot.

 

[Tom]

I vote for the big gun again. I shot a good sized hog night before last with my 180 grain 30-06. I found a chunk of meat, a chunk of bone, a bunch of blood spots, and that was it. A big heavy bullet through both shoulders, that might stop them right there more often?

I don't like to shoot them in the head, because that's what makes the skull mount and its a smaller target than behind the shoulder.

That pricing is pretty neat, you could hold out for a big one and pay nothing till you get it, wow!

 

[smithstation]

Tom,
I agree with you on a bigger gun/bullet weight. But velocity is also a key factor. You have to find that happy middle ground. I shoot a 270 and load a 130gr. nosler ballistic tip. We killed 2 hogs a few months ago that went 500+. I hit each one behind the shoulder and they both went 20-45 yards from where I hit them. Those were the biggest pigs I ever shot. Your pigs in Texas are alot different than ours. Some hound guys imported 20 Texas boars and a 250lb. texas hog had bigger bone, thicker hide, and they were a lot more aggressive. It was like comparing a Kansass whitetail to a couse deer. Same species but a lot bigger. You grow em big in Texas, thats for sure.

 

[Tom]

I wonder how the hunt is going. I don't like to shoot them in the head, if I drop, which I do sometimes, its a misserable shoot the jaw off shot. Hitting them in the head definitely drops them with smaller bullets even.

I wonder how their hunt is going? This is the 20th, they started the 17th, right?

 

[Calif. Hunter]

The rain really screwed up our hunt. The hogs all hit the deepest gullies and canyons in the middle of the densest brush they could find to get out of the freezing rain and sleet. We even covered between 18 and 20 miles on foot with the dogs, to finally bag one huge sow on Saturday. She was about 300 pounds, live weight. I spotted one big hog on the far side of the canyon on Saturday night, but we were not able to get to him before dark.

Since Craig had to drive back to Phoenix and I was starting my new job today (Monday), we just packed up on Sunday morning and hit the road home by 9:30 AM.

I was sure impressed by Chipper, the ranch owner's son. He was about 5'7" or 5'8", probably mid-30's and he made a back pack out of the gutted hog by taping the front and rear legs together on each and packed out that hog over a half mile, mostly uphill. He never even stopped to catch his breath. Gutted, with the head still on, the hog weighed over 200 pounds. I'll have some pictures in a day or two when Jorge emails them to me.

 

[Cameron Hunt]

Well congrats. i was thinking of calling you today, but my list of things to do over rode the call. So who got the hog? or were there 2? That sucks that it rained on your parade ! was pretty nice down here though. Lets hook up sometime soon, I owe you lunch I think...

 

[Tom]

That guy is strong, even if it was only 100 lbs, but 200+, woah.

 

[bigtusker]

Rick, did you go hunting with the Hennigans???????????????

 

[Calif. Hunter]

No, Chopper, I don't think so - the "guide's" name was Jeff Hurley. The ranch owner's son was called Chipper. I've got the ranch owner's card out in the truck - I'll dig it out tomorrow.

 

[bigtusker]

Did you meet a guy that had not been to town in about 15 years and were you close to the Panoche Inn on Panoche Road in San Benito County?

 

[Calif. Hunter]

There was a guy they called "The Gatekeeper" who has been to town like once in 20 years... there was a little section that belonged to a relative between their place and the area we were hunting. He minded the gate between them.

We met at the next exit north of Panoche Road (starts with a "K" - can't remember the name right now. Was the Panoche Inn the little bar/cafe place near where we turned left as we headed back to the freeway?

 

[bigtusker]

yep, thats the place. You were hunting with the Hennigans!

 

[Calif. Hunter]

So is there a story about them? You can PM me....